Gwen Hailey

Gwen Hailey (1935-) was a Canton, Mississippi resident. She was the wife of Carl Lee Hailey, a Vietnam War veteran and construction worker, and they lived in the poor black section of Canton. They had four children: Tonya, Skip, Slim, and Willie. In 1984, Tonya was abducted, beaten, and raped by white supremacists Billy Ray Cobb and Pete Willard, leading to Carl Lee killing the two supremacists at the courthouse in a vigilante act. Carl Lee was then arrested for murder, but he was acquitted with the help of his attorney, Jake Brigance.